| 1 |
Reið Brynhildar bróðir
bort, sás hug né skorti. | Brynhildr’s brother [= Atli], who did not lack courage, rode away. |
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| 2 |
Svanr þyrr beint til benja
blóðs vindára róðri. | The swan of blood [RAVEN/EAGLE] rushes with the rowing of wind-oars [WINGS > FLIGHT] straight to the wounds. |
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| 3 |
Lofðungr gekk at Lakkar
— laut herr í gras — snerru. | The prince went to the onslaught of Hlǫkk <valkyrie> [BATTLE]; the army fell in the grass. |
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| 4 |
Geima mærum heima. | We praise the sea at home. |
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| 5 |
Þorði Iðja orða. | Of the words of Iði <giant> [GOLD] … dared. |
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| 6 |
Hér liggja brot beggja,
brúðr, strykvinna súða. | Here lie pieces of both the painted ship’s sides, woman. |
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| 7 |
Hér fregna nú hyggnir
hjǫrflaug brimis draugar. | The thoughtful trees of the sword [WARRIORS] now hear of weapon-flight [BATTLE] here. |
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| 8 |
Hringlestir gekk hraustan
herjum kunnr at gunni. | The ring-breaker [GENEROUS MAN], known to people, went bravely to battle. |
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| 9 |
Rann hræddari hranna
hyrbrjótr frá styr ljótum. | The more fearful breaker of the fire of the waves [(lit. ‘fire-breaker of the waves’) GOLD > GENEROUS MAN] ran from the grim battle. |
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| 10 |
Því hefk heitit mey mætri,
mest nema hamlan bresti. | I have promised the excellent girl that, unless the greatest obstacle fails. |
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| 11 |
Skíð gekk framm at flœði
flóðs í hreggi óðu. | The ski of the sea [SHIP] went forward at high tide in a violent storm. |
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| 12 |
Hringtælir gaf hálu
hlýrsólar mér dýra;
oss kom Hrund til handa
hræpolls drifin golli,
sút þás Herjans hattar … | The ring-trickster [GENEROUS MAN] gave me a precious troll-woman of the prow-sun [SHIELD > AXE]; the Hrund <valkyrie> of the carrion-pool [BLOOD > AXE], decorated with gold, came into our [my] hands, when the sorrow of Herjann’s <= Óðinn’s> hat [HELMET > WEAPON] … |
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| 13 |
Fór hvatráðr
hilmi at finna,
áðr siklingr
til sættar gekk. | The resourceful one went to meet the king, before the ruler accepted reconciliation. |
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| 14 |
Sás af Íslandi
arði barði. | The one who ploughed [the sea] with the prow away from Iceland. |
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| 15 |
Þats orðslœgjum eigi
aldrbót konungs skaldi. | That is not fame for the king’s word-cunning skald. |
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| 16 |
Út réð Ingólfr leita
ógnreifr með Hjǫrleifi. | The battle-glad Ingólfr travelled to Iceland with Hjǫrleifr. |
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| 17 |
Krossfestum sé Kristi
kunnr vegr ok lof unnit
megn ok máttr sem tígnar
mest vald, þats fersk aldri. | May famous honour and praise, power and might, as well as the greatest strength of honour that will never perish, be granted to the crucified Christ. |
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| 18 |
Jarls hefir hann ágæti,
en ǫðlings kosti,
konungs kappgirni,
kynni landreka. | He has a jarl’s fame and a prince’s good qualities, a king’s competitiveness, a lord’s disposition. |
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| 19 |
Haldi hringtǫpuð
hefi ok varðveiti
styrki ok staðfesti
stýrir himinríkis. | May the controller of the kingdom of heaven [= God] support, raise and preserve, strengthen and confirm the ring-destroyer [GENEROUS MAN]. |
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| 20 |
Konungr kappgjarn
kostum betri
allri þjóð
alframr konungr. | The energetic king, better in [good] qualities for the whole people, the excellent king. |
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| 22 |
Hlýð, hlýð, konungr,
hróðri þessum. | Listen, listen, king, to this praise-poem. |
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| 23 |
Heldr vill hilmir
herja en erja. | The ruler would rather raid than plough. |
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| 24 |
Sterkum stilli
styrjar væni. | For the strong ruler … an expectation of battle. |
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| 25 |
Hlíf gnast við hlíf,
hjǫrr við mæki,
egg lék við egg,
þars jǫfurr barðisk. | Shield cracked against shield, sword against sword, edge played against edge where the prince fought. |
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| 26 |
Band gaf oss með endum
Ilmr lýskála bála. | The Ilmr <goddess> of the fires of the pollack-hall [SEA > GOLD > WOMAN] gave us [me] a band with ends. |
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| 27 |
Áðr djúphugaðr dræpi
dólga ramr með hamri
gegn á grœðis vagna
gagnsæll faðir Magna. | Before the deep-minded, mighty, reliable, victory-blessed father of Magni <god> [= Þórr] struck at the enemies of the sea of wagons [LAND > GIANTS] with his hammer. |
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| 28 |
En skinnbjarta skortir
— skap kannask mér svanna —
— dýrs hon hætt at hváru —
hálmmein Njǫrun steina. | But the bright-skinned Njǫrun <goddess> of stones [WOMAN] lacks straw-harm [BLADE]; the temperament of the woman is known to me; she is in any case a dangerous animal. |
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| 29 |
Einstigi mér heinar. | The narrow path of the hone [SWORD] … to me. |
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| 30 |
Braut stǫkk bauga neytir
bleikr frá sverða leiki. | The enjoyer of rings [MAN] fled, pale, away from the play of swords [BATTLE]. |
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| 31 |
Hár rauð hvassa geira
— hneig þjóð í gras — blóði. | The high one reddened sharp spears in blood; people sank into the grass. |
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| 32 |
Né dýrs of far fleiri
flein-Móða segik óðar
— mælum slíkt við sælan:
‘sit heill konungr!’ — deili. | I will not recount more details of the poem about the conduct of the excellent spear-Móði <god> [WARRIOR]; we [I] say this to the fortunate one: ‘be well, king!’ |
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| 33 |
Ok stórhǫggr
stillir Þrœnda. | And the hard-hitting leader of the Þrœndir [NORWEGIAN RULER]. |
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| 34 |
Í herská
hilmis ríki. | In the ruler’s war-torn realm. |
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| 35 |
Framm þraukuðu fákar
fjórir senn und henni;
þó gat þeim in háva
þrymgǫll hlaðit ǫllum. | Four horses lumbered forward at the same time under it; however, the tall noise-shriek [bell] managed to fell them all. |
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| 36 |
Oss fremi, hinn es himna,
heimstýrir, skóp dýra. | May the world-controller [= God], who created the precious heavens, help us. |
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| 37 |
Ekl vasa ógn á Stiklar-
óblíð -stǫðum síðan. | Unpleasant fighting was not lacking later at Stiklestad. |
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| 38 |
At kom gangandi,
þar es jǫfrar bǫrðusk;
helt hann upp hǫfði:
‘hér es þér skattr, sultan.’ | Walking, he arrived where the princes were fighting; he held up a head: ‘here’s treasure for you, sultan.’ |
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